Canadian Citizens Apologize to Benatta

Posted by Polly at 3:37am
Jul 262009

From The Star:

Benamar Benatta, a Canadian… like… me… recounts how his country turned a blind, cowardly and disgraced eye when the U.S. unlawfully imprisoned and tortured him for five years. All he wants now is an apology. Canada won’t apologize, so I will. Mr. Benatta, I’m sorry that you were let down by a country that prides itself on a reputation of upholding human rights. —Jeff Green, Toronto

I’m a 10th grade student at Bayview Secondary School and I find it appalling that our politicians have allowed themselves to be blinded by their prejudice. …Benatta has obviously faced traumatizing experiences and needs professional help that the government should provide. Aside from financial compensation for detaining him without evidence in a U.S. jail, an official apology should also be made. Without a full apology, Benatta cannot move on with his life.

If we pride ourselves as a country that upholds the rights and freedoms of all, and values the lives of everybody equally, we cannot allow cases like Benatta’s to be ignored. —Jessica Chan, Richmond Hill

Good people. If only the likes of Stephen Harper had such decency.

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How very dare you, Canada

Posted by Polly at 4:36pm
Jul 242009

The Star has just published the following article about Benamar’s case.

Shrugging Off Torture

He’s the only known case of Extraordinary Rendition in Canada. What I’m mad about is that they still have not apologized for what they put him through. Stephen Harper came back saying that after they investigated themselves they found themselves to be innocent of all wrongdoing. (I will believe an investigation took place when I see proof of it, I don’t know if they had an investigation or an “investigation”. Or if they skipped the whole kerfuffle entirely and said, “Let’s don’t and say we did”.)

But it seems to me that they still have to explain HOW—and via WHOSE authorization—did he end up being delivered in the middle of the night in the back seat of a car and into the hands of his torturers in a Brooklyn jail in the first place! Don’t you guys know we torture people here?

Not only have they deeply affected Ben’s life forever, but we may not know how many other cases of Extraordinary Rendition there might have been. And why the fuck am I capitalizing that euphemism? Somebody please, slap the shit out of me. It’s kidnapping! Oh, excuse me: Kidnapping. (The truth is always worth capitalizing.)

Anyway, I’m very glad that the Star published the article. The story needs to be kept alive. When all the proceedings are done and the crowds go home, he still has to live with what they put him through.

How very dare you, Canada.

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